The Taj Mahal Needs No Introduction
Written: Dec 07 '04 (Updated Dec 23 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A Truly Amazing Experience
Cons: Touts
The Bottom Line: The Taj Mahal needs no recommendation or bottom line.
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| mridula's Full Review: The Taj Mahal |
I approach the keyboards with a lot of trepidation, after all I about to make an attempt to describe the Taj Mahal, one of the most stunning monuments standing on this earth. But then I convinced myself that capturing the beauty of Taj in words is an impossible task for probably anyone, so why worry! So folks, here is how it was, my experience of visiting The Taj Mahal
How to Reach Agra: Generally people approach Agra after reaching New Delhi, the capital of India. Agra is well connected by road, rail and air network from the capital. There is a well maintained highway from Delhi to Agra, and motoring is a good option. One can take car on rent or travel by the luxury buses operated by tour operators. Tour packages are also available in Delhi by various operators.
The most decent train to take from Delhi to Agra is Shatabdi Express, all the coaches are air conditioned and the travel time is much less than any other trains on the same route. Air connection is also available, but if you are not in a tearing hurry, it is worth while to take a train or a car. It generally takes less than 5 hours to cover the 200 plus kilometers distance from Delhi to Agra. We traveled by our own car, and I feel it was a good option as it is a lot easier to move around in the city then.
A Word of Caution: Agra is really, truly a touristy kind of a place. Unfortunately in India it does not automatically translates into good amenities and infrastructure but a lot of touts and hard sell of all kinds on the street. It can be a big put off, if you are not prepared for it. The roads of the city are nothing to boast about nor are the civic amenities. But then, I believe, you will still want to see the Taj Mahal.
Reaching to The Taj Mahal: We decided to take a look at the monument in the early morning light. Getting up early was a task, but my husband saw to it that all of us were out of the bed by 5.30 A.M. There were four of us on this trip, the two of us and my nephew and my brother-in-law. When we reached down, we found that our car was parked such that it could not be moved out without moving two other cars, the keys of which were not with the hotel management. Now it would have been a task to wake their owners up at such an early hour, so we decided to take an Auto and it fleeced us. We were charged Rupees 50 for just 2 Km. but then since rates are not uniform, such practices abound.
Motorized vehicles are not allowed to go very near to the Taj, so we got down nearly 1.5 Km. before the premises and walked rest of the distance. It was a pleasant walk but I believe the surrounding park could be maintained much better.
Entrance Formalities: To gain entry we stood in line to buy tickets. Children below 15 are entered free, so we did not need a ticket for my nephew. They do not allow you to take your mobile inside, but it can be left in one of the lockers that is operated free of cost. I had to put mine there.
There are two ticket rates, one for the Indians and other for the foreign nationals. Indians pay Rupees 20 and foreigners pay much more somewhere around Rupees 970. That is roughly around 20 dollars. The difference is glaring in rupees and if the money would have gone for providing better amenities then probably there was some rational in charging it. But then again I believe you will still like to see Taj Mahal!
At the entrance we had to pass through metal detectors and were frisked. There is a separate queue for ladies. Ahead of me was a foreigner and a conversation took place between her and two Indian security ladies, which I had no choice but to overhear, as I was the next in line. The Indian ladies asked the foreigner “where are you from?†She said- Australia. The next question to her was- “are you married,†it made me cringe but that is how many of us are. Asking anything under the sun and not meaning any offence. The lady replied “marriage has no meaning in Australia.†Though not a party in anyway to this conversation, I felt like apologizing to the foreigner but I believe that would have made the matters worse.
The Taj Mahal: The monument is actually beyond words. Made of pure white marble, it is a tribute of love of an emperor for her queen. Shahjanah which translated would mean ‘emperor of the world’ built it for his wife (one among many) Mumtaj Mahal. The queen died in childbirth and the monument was built after her death. It is actually the tomb of the queen and later the king too was buried inside it. It was started in the year 1631 and was completed in the year 1648. It is said that after the monument was complete all the workers lost their thumbs, so that they could not make it for anyone else. But I am not sure if this is just folklore or if there is truth in it.
The entire monument is made of white marble. It is built on a huge platform and situated at quite a distance from the entrance. It has a huge main dome and four tall minarets surrounding it. In front of it is a shallow water pool where the Taj is reflected. There is a seat of marble at some distance from the monument where it seems to be customary to have a photograph. A well laid out garden makes the picture complete. There are many intricate designs laid on the structure and hymns in Arabic. Colored precious stones are also the part of the design and a few optic illusions too are there. These days one cannot visit the actual tombs of the Queen and the King but replicas are made above the actual ones. Though by bending down one can catch a glimpse of the original tombs. (You see how inadequate this description is even compared to the picture displayed of The Taj Mahal!)
Even at 6.30 in the morning the place was crowded and mostly foreigners. Some of them obviously belonged to tour groups. A large group was getting photographed on the marble bench and though the photographer was in a hurry, one could see the ecstasy on the face of every couple. There is something in the atmosphere there.
You can get your photograph taken by photographers roaming around the premises but insist on the rates and quantity to be fixed beforehand. Video photography is allowed only up to a few feet after the entrance for a fee and then one has to deposit the cameras and then proceed.
We had to remove our shoes before entering the premises. We took a walk around the monument and from the back side river Yamuna can also be seen. Sadly due to pollution Yamuna looks like more like a mudded stream than a magnificent river.
To Take a Guide or Not: We somehow ended up walking around Taj without a guide but I do not think it is a good idea. Actually what made us decide against it, was the haggling and the hurried way in which the guides conduct a tour. But then we could have gone with a guide hurriedly and then lingered around the place at our own pace. We did hire a guide later on in this visit. Hiring these guides is again a game in itself and I wish there was a standard rate that they would charge. Then again if you have a good book to take you through, then one can skip using a guide.
Overall, The Taj Mahal is a must see.
This and That: While in Agra, please visit the Red Fort, which is visible from Taj itself, and the town of Fateh-Pur-Sikri. From the Taj Mahal I recommend a ride in the horse driven vehicle called Tanga in the native tongue. They charge Rupees 20 at this point in time (the year 2004) for the ride. Shopping is pretty expensive anywhere near the Taj Mahal and becomes somewhat cheaper as one moves out. I found the prices much better at Fateh-Pur-Sikri than Agra. Even the so called government emporiums are deadly expensive in Indian rupees. There are plenty of options for eating out, from five star stuff to small local shops called Dhabas with everything in between. But then one can never be sure about the quality of food at Dhabas and they are not advisable for everyone.
Sometime back, the then Chief Minister of the state (Uttar Pradesh) where Agra is wanted to build a ‘Taj Corridor’ in between Taj Mahal and Red Fort. It would consist of five star hotels and shopping malls! It created a stink all over the country and quickly the scheme was aborted after the government at the center intervened. You can see some of the work done for this project (basically moving a lot of clay) from the monument.
We stayed there at Hotel Howard Park Plaza, which is a decent hotel. My review of the hotel is at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_162954645124
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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mridula
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Location: India
Reviews written: 121
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About Me:
So Little Time, So Many Places to Visit!
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